UN moves to crack down on North Korea

The world’s boldest effort yet to hold North Korea and leader Kim Jong Un accountable for alleged crimes against humanity moved forward yesterday at the UN, where a Pyongyang envoy threatened further nuclear tests.

The UN General Assembly’s human rights committee approved a resolution that urges the Security Council to refer the country’s human rights situation to the International Criminal Court. The non-binding resolution now goes to the General Assembly for a vote in the coming weeks. China and Russia, which hold veto power on the council, voted against it.

The resolution was inspired by a groundbreaking UN commission of inquiry report early this year that declared North Korea’s human rights situation “exceeds all others in duration, intensity and horror”.